Mugulu Nage: Touches the heart

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Mugulu Nage is a film that touches the heart. Yogaraj Bhat and Ganesh found a way to capture love and heartbreak in Mungaru Male through rains, and this time the two seem to have matured in their outlook on romance. This time the two tell us that love can be navigated with a smile, and Ganesh complements Bhat’s efforts.

The director takes on an urban love story. There is a point in every person’s life when he or she sets out to find true love. A person may date or set out on a search for a life companion. The same is the case with Pulakeshi, a software engineer employed with a private firm. He keeps falling in and out of love, and his first is with Vaishali (Ashika Ranganath), a dreamer who wants to settle abroad. Later, he meets Siri (Nikitha Narayan), a guitarist and an independant woman. He also meets Amulya, a girl chosen by his father. But she is head over heels in love with her college-mate.

Pulakeshi decides to give up on love and marriage when his parents and friends push him to try meeting one more girl, and in comes Charulatha (Apoorva Arora). She is a village girl, and has deep convictions, particularly about the partner she will choose for life. Will Pulakeshi finally settle down in life? Will his parents be happy with his choice? All of this will find a resonance with the viewers.

This fresh subject from Yogaraj Bhat has been presented realistically. The director has mastered the art of expressing love; his narration is without frills and Bhat can pull it off since he has also written the screenplay. Though a trim could have made this story crisp, the filmmaker keeps his signature style and leaves the viewers satisfied. Having said that, the audience do miss those punch dialogues they usually look out for in his films.

He has picked the right actors to play the characters - and Achyuth Kumar, who plays Ganesh’s father stands out. There is good music from V Harikrishna, complemented with beautiful lyrics. The cinematography is decent and the locations, captured in the second half by Sugnaan, are wonderful.

Ganesh handles his role well, and conveys a broken heart convincingly. Viewers will appreciate how he takes in bitter experiences with a smile. Ganesh is known and loved for his exceptionally expressive face. Looks like the actor has attempted something beyond Bhat’s storyboard, and managed to deliver the director’s vision.

The heroines, despite limited screen time, have managed to give good performances. While Ashika Ranganath as the girl-next-door and Nikitha Narayan as the free-spirit have done well, Apoorva comes across as a little loud. But maybe her character required this and she completely justifies. It is Amulya’s blink-and-miss role that makes the climax interesting.

Watch Mugulu Nage with an open mind and you will come out of the theatre with a smile.